Biscotti is one of those classic desserts that seems to be appropriate for any occasion.
Holiday gifts, housewarming gifts … breakfast. 
Even people who don’t like dessert will probably take a liking to biscotti. It’s not overly sugary, and even if you’re entirely averse to sweets, you can customize these bad boys using your own favorite ingredients, making them as sweet – or un-sweet – as you want.
And, hellllooo … dipping stuff into coffee is, like, super-fun.
I got the brilliant idea to make biscotti for two of our good friends who recently hosted a housewarming party (and had also just gotten engaged – double the celebration!). My first thought was a bottle of Patron XO Cafe, our group of friends’ beverage of choice – and then I thought, biscotti! I wasn’t really sure what they were into in terms of desserts, so I figured this fabulous coffee-themed gift would please pretty much anyone.
I’m telling you: Biscotti (bonus points for pairing it with coffee-flavored tequila) is the solution to any of your “I want to make them something special, but I’m just not sure what they like” situations. We all have those situations, don’t we?
Yes, we do! Which is why I’ve got another episode of Sassy in the Kitchen for you today – so that you can see for yourself how totally easy this is.
I say it in the video, and I’ll say it again: I’m not super-crafty. As in, this is probably the craftiest thing I’ve ever done. Hey, it’s a start!
The biscotti would have made a perfectly good gift on their own, but I figured those might not be enjoyed until later (and they were – I received several text messages from our friends in the days that followed, including a ridiculously adorable photo of them in the act of nibbling!) and so the Patron pairing would provide something that could be enjoyed that night, at the party.
And let me just tell you – these biscotti aren’t just plain, old biscotti either. I started with a classic almond base, added a few chocolate chips to the dough for good measure, and then dipped them in chocolate once they cooled.
But that’s not all! What takes these biscotti from everyday and ordinary to a truly pleasurable eating experience is the salt! There’s something about rich, slightly bitter dark chocolate coupled with flaky sea salt that gets me every time. And yes, I am fully aware that the whole salty-sweet thing is kindasorta a bandwagon trend right now. But – I’ve been at it for a while now, and I don’t intend on giving up on it anytime soon.
I’m still into truffles, too. Just in case you were wondering.
- 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, divided
- ¾ cup sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Generous pinch kosher salt
- 1 cup blanched, slivered almonds
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 8 ounces good bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
- Flaky sea salt {Fleur de Sel or Maldon are both great}
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Cream 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter and sugar together in the bowl of your stand mixer (you can also use a hand mixer) for 3 to 5 minutes, until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one a time, beating after each addition. Add extracts and beat until combined.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, beating just until combined (make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure everything is incorporated). Stir or gently beat in the almonds and chocolate chips. The dough is done!
- Grab 2 baking sheets and coat them with cooking spray. Cover with parchment paper (the spray stops the parchment paper from sliding all over the place). Split the dough into 2 roughly equal portions and form each into a 2-inch wide log – one on each baking sheet. The dough will likely be very sticky – no worries! Just work it the best you can. (Alternatively, if you prefer longer biscotti, you can shape the dough into one larger log – I went with the shorter side here because I was sticking them into a jar for a gift).
- Bake the logs for 30 minutes, until golden brown and starting to crack. When they come out, allow them to cool on the pans until they’re cool enough to handle. Turn the oven down to 250.
- Transfer the logs to a cutting board, and cut into ½-inch slices using a serrated knife. I just cut straight across, though the traditional way is to cut them on a diagonal.
- Place the slices back onto the baking sheets, and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, turning the slices over once halfway through. Allow to cool so you can get dipping!
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the chopped chocolate and remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring each time, until the chocolate is melted and silky-smooth. If you’re almost there but not quite, just continue to stir and the chocolate will melt – you don’t want to put it back in the microwave at that point, because the chocolate could seize (read: turn into a grainy, nasty mess).
- Dip the end of each cookie into the chocolate, using a spoon to help you coat it. Place each cookie back onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheets, sprinkling with sea salt each time. Allow the chocolate to set at room temperature, or speed up the process by refrigerating.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Enjoy!
I think I might be in love with you.
Gini Dietrich recently posted..How to Measure ROI When It’s Not Tied to Sales
That is a serious house warming gift! I <3 Patron but have never had the Cafe – tell me more! Do you put it in Coffee? This sounds too good to be true lol. I love how you dippped them in chocolate and finished with a pinch of Fleur de Sel.
I have to come back later and watch your video – my son is still asleep so as you can imagine I am in a strict "muted PC – no noise" situation. ha!
Alyssa @ Everyday Maven recently posted..Cinnamon Walnut Biscotti
Oh, you must try it! You don’t put it in coffee. It’s a sweet coffee-flavored liqueur made with tequila. Kind of ridiculous!
like Kahlua?
Alyssa @ Everyday Maven recently posted..Cinnamon Walnut Biscotti
Kind of, but definitely stronger. I’ve been known to sip it straight over ice, so good!
Sarah, I can’t even tell you how much I love your videos! I’ll never tire of the salty-sweet combo, and this coffee tequila liqueur… I’m intrigued.
Cookie and Kate recently posted..Thai Green Curry
I think you’ve inspired me to make these as Mother’s Day gifts for my Mom and future mother-in-law. They both live far away, so pairing these with a cute mug and some nice hot chocolates/coffees makes the perfect home-made mail-safe gift!
Rachel recently posted..My Megatrip [in instragram photos]
Yes, Rachel! I LOVE this idea! Let me know how it turns out if you decide to go for it.
This video is so cute, I’m totally making these today. Great job on making it look easy and nicely wrapped too!